The day my slow cooker died on me, I nearly cried. After years of wondering how a slow cooker would work for me and being hesitant to use one fearing I’d burn down the house, I finally got one as a Christmas gift three years ago. I couldn’t believe I had waited so long! It helped me out so much in making dinner while away at work during the day.

After using it to cook many meals, it died on me one day. No reason, really, it just up and died and wouldn’t turn on. Life then happened and as many things go, I went a long while without a slow cooker. And then, days before I was about to purchase a new slow cooker, Walmart asked if we wanted to try out the Crock-Pot Slow Cooker Cook and Carry. I’m not sure a person should be as excited over a Crock-Pot as I was, but I couldn’t wait for it to arrive.

Since then, and combined with my rice cooker, I’ve been able to effortlessly cook meals while working and tending to baby boy. I love that I can start it in the morning and not have to think about it until the afternoon. Though I am able to cook a variety of meals in the Crock-Pot, like ribs, pork chops, and chicken, one of my favorite recipes is turkey chili. It’s super easy to throw all the ingredients into the Crock-Pot and let it simmer throughout the day. Here’s the recipe I use, in case you want to try it.

Pour all ingredients into the slow cooker, stir and cook on low until turkey is well-cooked and sauce has thickened. You could also cook the chili on high for it to cook faster if you have less time. Stir occasionally, adjusting herbs and spices for taste, and serve with shredded cheese on top.